SHARE

Student buried by Utah avalanche dies at hospital

AMERICAN FORK, Utah — Authorities say a Brigham Young University student who was buried by an avalanche while snowshoeing in Utah has died.

The Utah County sheriff’s office says in a statement Sunday that Ashleigh Cox of Colorado Springs died after being taken off life support Sunday afternoon.

She had been caught in a slide on Saturday in American Fork Canyon, about 35 miles south of Salt Lake City. Officials say an avalanche fell 50 feet and carried the 21-year-old Cox into a creek, burying her in the water.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Cannon says witnesses couldn’t dig her out and she was stuck under the snow for about 40 minutes. She wasn’t breathing and had no pulse, but Cannon says medical staffers were able to revive her.

Cannon says The Utah Avalanche Center says there is high avalanche danger in the mountains of northern and central Utah. It reported 14 slides on Saturday alone.